South Side
by Tsubasa Hane
Summary: Sometimes, first impressions can have a lasting effect. Written as a gift for Lady Trunks


This story takes place in an Alternate Universe world, because we all know that Pietro and Rogue _really_ never met when they were kids…but then again, you don't really care, do you? I wrote it as a thank-you fic to the authoress _Lady Trunks_, who's written some of the most amazing Rietros I've ever read (Including "Still Holding Out for You", one of my favorites). Her stories are the reason why I converted in the first place.

I'm only sorry this couldn't be as long or good as any of her works, but I'm a devoted Romy fan making her first attempt at a Rietro, so please be gentle.

* * *

**South Side

* * *

**

The sun was just beginning to set that late-summer afternoon in Caldecott, Mississippi. A splash of golden hues lit up the horizon, giving off the appearance that the sky itself has burst into flames, the embers flickering well into the rapidly-approaching dark of nighttime that would soon take over.

Rogue loved this time of day, watching the breathtaking display before her from the steps of her front porch, patiently waiting for the first stars to appear in the cloudless sky. It was the one moment in time she always had completely to herself. Undisturbed.

Until then.

She heard the vehicle approaching before it even came into view. A rich-looking black limousine was slowly making its way up their dirt road of a driveway towards the house, having some difficulty maneuvering around the bumps and potholes.

Given the fact that it was just her and Irene, and neither of them ever had any visitors, the 13-year-old was more than just a little amazed to see a vehicle of any kind in their driveway (as Irene obviously couldn't drive), let alone a limo. They weren't exactly a common sight around that area.

Clinging tightly to her beloved teddy bear Rem-Rem, young Rogue quickly got up and ran through the screen doors. "Irene!" She called out, "There's a limo in front of our house!"

The older woman had been sitting in her favorite recliner, listening to soft music on the radio. Her head turned at the sound of Rogue's voice, though she didn't appear very much surprised. "I know, child. I could hear the engine humming as it got closer." Reaching for her cane, she stood up. "Go back outside and play, Rogue. I'm sure it's nothing." Rogue was about to protest, but Irene cut her off before she could get a word out. "You were in the middle of your daily sunset-watching ritual, weren't you? The view is just as lovely from the backyard, you know."

Her tone was sweet and gentle, yet very stern; Rogue knew it well. Sighing in defeat, Rogue trudged through the house, heading back outside as she was told.

Despite its outer classy appearance, inside the limo was filled with a familiar thick tension between parent and child. 13-year-old Pietro stared out the window from his side of the seat, arms folded and pouting. A miniature fan in one corner provided the only relief from the scorching autumn heat, blow through his shockingly white hair.

"Why do we have to come here, Father?" He whined for the umpteenth time, not bothering to mask his boredom. "We're practically in the middle of nowhere!"

"That's enough Pietro. We are here to visit an old friend of mine, and I want you to be polite and show some respect." Eric Lehnsherr's voice calmly replied, having grown used to his son's temper tantrums. "Now, not another word out of you, is that understood?"

Muttering under his breath about how hot it was, Pietro otherwise remained silent as he followed his father out of the comfort of the limo and up the front porch steps.

The door opened before Magneto could even get a chance to knock. Pietro found himself suddenly looking at a young woman in her early 30s, with light brown hair and a large pair of sunglasses. Blind, his mind registered, noticing the cane in her hands.

"I've been expecting you, Eric." She regarded his father with a nod of the head before turning to greet the young boy. "And hello to you too, Pietro." A warm smile appeared. That caught him slightly off guard as he briefly wondering how exactly a blind woman could 'see' him.

"Umm…hello, ma'am." He finally replied back, remembering his manners.

No sooner were they inside with the door shut behind them when Magneto got straight to the point. "I suppose there's no use in beating around the bush, Irene." He began. "As you probably already know, I've come to speak with Raven."

"Raven hasn't been around for quite some time." Irene replied with a hint of sadness, leading the father and son duo toward the kitchen in the back of the house. "Nor has she even attempted to make contact with myself or the girl."

Pietro, however, had no interest in whatever it was the grown-ups were discussing. As Irene set to work putting a pot of tea water on the stove, he aimlessly wandered around the kitchen. Allowing childish curiosity to take over, he soon found his way over to a nearby window that looked out into the backyard. A young girl about his age sat on a wooden swing underneath the shade of a large tree, hugging a stuffed animal to her chest. His first reaction was to gasp, eyes widening in familiarity.

"…Wanda?" he exclaimed, drawing Magneto's attention instantly.

Irene just gave a knowing smile, "Actually, that's my little Rogue." She corrected him without turning around. "She should be around your age, Pietro…why don't you go outside an introduce yourself?"

**o*0*o**

A slight gust of wind alerted Rogue to another presence. Lifting her chin from where it rested atop Rem-Rem's furry head, she turned to see a young, white-haired boy standing almost directly beside her. The girl jumped out of her seat in surprise, almost tripping on a small stone as she turned to face him, the bear momentarily slipping from her grasp.

"Where'd ya'll come from?"

Pietro grinned at her reaction, resisting the urge to laugh. "Around." He then gave a mock bow. "I am the great Pietro Lehnsherr, at your service." This earned a small giggle from her at his antics as she bent down to pick up her bear. "Father and I came here to pay a visit to your mom."

"Irene's not my mom. She just takes care of me." Rogue corrected him, suddenly finding great interest in brushing off the dirt that clung to Rem-Rem's fur.

An awkward silence followed, and Pietro wasn't quite sure how to respond to her statement. She all but ignored him for the moment, walking over to the large tree and sitting down at the base of it's trunk with her stuffed animal placed in her lap. It wasn't much of an invite, but she wasn't being so unfriendly, either, so Pietro took his cue to sit on the ground beside her.

It seemed ridiculous to Pietro now, thinking he had wrongly mistaken this girl for his sister (whom he missed dearly), because up close they looking almost nothing alike. She had a creamy, pale complexion with the faintest tint of pink to her cheeks and the brightest green eyes he had ever seen, eyes that shone like precious emeralds. Her air was a rich shade of auburn that traveled slightly passed her shoulders, with two locks a shocking white in color—the same color that adorned his own crown—framing her face beautifully.

He also noticed, though not without a hint of red flooding to his cheeks, that she was beginning to develop a very attractive figure, the curves already evident through her tight-skinned clothing.

Rogue grew annoyed after a moment, knowing she was being stared at. "Do ya want something?"

"Uh…no." He snapped out of the trance he'd unknowingly fallen under, "It's just that I've never seen another kid with white hair before. Is it real?" He lifted a hand to touch it, but she instinctively flinched away. Embarrassed, he pulled back. "Sorry."

"No, it's not your fault." Placing the teddy bear at her side, she heaved a sigh. "It's just…Irene told me Ah'm not supposed ta touch anybody's skin, is all."

"How come?"

Rogue shrugged, then wrapped her arms around her legs. "It doesn't matter that much, anyway. 's not like Ah get along with most of the otha' kids 'round here. What do Ah need ta touch 'em for?" But there was a hint of irony in her voice that made Pietro question whether or not she really disliked being around other people. After all, she was talking to him, wasn't she?

"Is that why you've got such warm clothes on?" He queried further, "I mean, it's like 80 degrees outside and you're practically dressed for winter!"

She looked down as if noticing what she was wearing for the first time. Her shirt was solid black, with a wide-shouldered neckline and long sleeves melting into black leathered gloves that covered her hands. Despite wearing a mid-thigh length denim skirt, her legs were covered by a thin pair of navy blue stockings, and black sneakers covered her feet.

For the first time, she suddenly felt a slight embarrassment at her ensemble; Pietro himself only had on a light blue t-shirt and beige shorts.

"Ah guess Ah've just grown used to it," was her final remark.

It was around that time Pietro suddenly got an idea. He stood up to stretch his limbs a bit before turning around to face her. With his hands placed on his hips, he bent down slightly to meet her eye-to-eye. "Know what? I think you just made all that up."

She looked at him strangely for a moment before replying. "No, Ah didn't. It's true."

"I don't believe you." He continued on, inwardly smirking. "I think you're just trying to make up an excuse 'cause you're scared of touching anybody."

Angrily, she stood up, fists clenched and glaring. "AH AM NOT!"

"Then prove it."

"…huh?" She blinked in surprise, anger fading. He could easily tell she hadn't been expecting that by the look on her face, a mixture of confusion and bewilderment.

"You heard me." He took a step towards her; she took a step back in response. "Prove to me you're not scared." He took another step, and their eyes permanently locked.

"I-I'm not." She insisted weakly as her back brushed up against the tree trunk, leaving her with the realization that she had no place left to run.

He was very close to her now, merely inches away, and smiling softly. Rogue suddenly found herself frozen in place, unable to move as he closed the gap between them. As he leaned in slowly, her breath caught in her throat. "Ah don't wanna hurt you." She managed to whisper, so softly it was almost impossible to hear. But he did, answering with three simple words:

"I trust you."

Leaning her head back against the tree, Rogue closed her eyes as the tingling sensation of his lips meeting with hers took over. Somehow, his hand managed to find hers, giving it a tight squeeze of reassurance. The kiss only lasted a few seconds, filled with innocence and naivety, but to Rogue it felt like a blissful eternity. When they finally parted, both seem at a loss for words.

"Wow." Rogue breathed after a moment, opening her eyes.

Pietro felt almost—if not equal to—the extent of wonder she did. Although he would never have admitted it, he'd never expected…that to happen. It was as if some unknown force had been driving him forward, giving him the courage he needed. What's more…it was also as much his first kiss as it was hers.

He bent down, resting his forehead on hers, and enjoyed the euphoric feeling of just staring into those emerald pools of green. The two of them remained like that for several moments, allowing everything that had happened over the past moments to truly sink in.

"Pietro! It's time to go!" A voice called out from the house. "We're leaving now!"

Neither of them wanted to part.

Pietro, especially, continued to stare as if wishing to memorize ever last detail before he had to leave. "Bye." He whispered, slowly backing away until their outstretched hands were forced to drop. With one last glance, he turned to walk away, leaving Rogue weak in the knees and propped up against the tree for support.

"Bye." She finally answered just as softly, though he was no longer close enough to hear.

**o*0*o**

Irene sat in her usual chair in the living room, occasionally sipping from a delicate teacup. Over on the couch, Rogue knelt backwards so she could rest her head on the backboard, staring out the window. Although she couldn't see through the tinted windows, she had a strong feeling Pietro was staring back at her.

As the limo pulled away from her line of sight, she felt a twinge of sadness wash over her.

"Do you think I'll ever get to see Pietro again, Irene?" She asked the older woman, continuing to stare although it had long since disappeared from view. Irene simply smiled into her teacup with a confidence only she could hold.

"Without a doubt."


End file.
